Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus



Aug. 19, 1930. BLOSSER 1,773,165

RAILWAY TRAFFICCONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed May 22, '1929 E QM SpPingMolor 14 Motor F" .2. 4 Lg Alternazikzg Curran! INVENTOR: H.G,B/o.5ser;

Patented Aug. 19, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HERMAN G. BLOSSER, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA RAILWAY-TRAFFIC-CONTROLLING- APPARATUS Application filed May 22,

My invention relates to railway traffic controlling apparatus, and particularly to apparatus of the type involving means for supplying periodically interrupted alternating current tothe track rails, and governing mechanism on the train responsive to such periodically interrupted current. More particularly the present invention relates to the trackway portion of such apparatus.

I will describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the trackway portion of one form of systemembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a View showing one form of code transmitter indicated diagrammatically'in Fig. 1 and also embodying my invention. A

Similar reference charactersrefer to similar parts in each of the views.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the reference characters 1 and 1 designate the track rails of a stretch of railway track along which trafiic normally moves in the direction indicated by the arrow. These rails are divided by insulated joints 2 into track sections, of which only one section A B is shown in the drawing. This section is provided with a track circuit comprising a track battery 6 normally connected across the rails at the exit end of the section, and a track relay T connected across the rails at the entrance end of the .section. Section AB is also provided with a code transmitter designated by the reference character CT, which transmitter is illustrated more fully in Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 2, the code transmitter comprises a spring motor M operatively connected through the medium of gearing 12 with a contact operating cam 4 and also with an alternating current generator G. Also connected with the spring motor M is an escapement device E comprising a drum 13, the periphery of which is provided with a pluraliy of wings 14:, 1 1 1 1 etc., alternately slanted in opposite directions with respect to the axis of the drum, and alternately terminating a short distance from the right and left-hand faces of the drum respectively.

1929. Serial No. 365,181.

and having a tongue 16 located in the path of the wings let. As the pendulum swings in clockwise direction from the position in which it is shown in the drawing, the tongue 16 will move to the right out of the path of the wing 14 and thereby allow the drum 13 to rotate through a small angle until the next wing 1 L engages the tongue l6.- Due to the slope of this wing with respect to the axis of the drum, the pendulum will be urged to swing incounter-clockwise direction until the tongue 16 is released by the left-hand end of the tongue 14?. Assuming that the pendulum is free to swing, this process will be repeated indefinitely, with the result that the speed of operation of the spring motor M will be regulated by the natural period of oscillation of the pendulum P. The device is provided with an electromagnet 3, which, when energized, holds the pendulum at one end of its stroke and thereby holds the spring 'motor and the partsconnected therewith at rest. An electric motor 11 may be provided for keeping the spring motor M fully wound, the electric motor 11 being controlled by the spring motor in the usual and well known manner, whereby when the spring motor becomes unwound to a certain extent, the electric motor will be energized to rewind the spring motor.

'Againref'erring to Fig. 1, the code transmitter CT is controlled by a coder relay C, which in turn is controlled by the track relay T The circuit for the coder relay 0 includes a back contact 8 of relay T so that relay C is normally de-energized but becomes energized when a train'enters section A'B.

Then the section A-B is unoccupied, so that relay C is de-energized, the code transmitter is held atrest by a circuit which passes from terminal B of a suitable source of current, through back contact 9 of relay C and the winding of magnet 3 to terminal 0 of the same source of current. At the same time track battery 6 is connected with the track rails of the section throughthe back pointof contact 10 of relay C. When a train enters section AB, it opens'track relay T- thereby energizing relay C, and the opening of back contact 9 of the latter relay de-energizes ms at 3, so that ndulum P is released an the code transmitter CT is set into operation. If track relay T for the section next in advanceof section A.--B is energized, generas tor G is connected with the rails of section through a contact 5 operated by the 4, the circuit bein from the left-hand terminal of generator through the front point of contact 10 of relay C, battery 6, to the lower rail 1, and from the upper rail 1 through front contact 7 of track relay T and contact 5 of the code transmitter to the right-hand terminal of generator G. The alktennating current furnished. by the generator G is therefore periodically interrupted by the contact. 5, and this periodically interrupted current is supplied to the rails of section'A--B for the control of'the train which occupies the section. When the train leaves the section, track relay T again becomes energized, so that the coder relay C becomesdeenergized, with the result that magnet 3 is energized to stop the code transmitter, and genlzrator G is disconnected from the track 111 As shown in F ig. 1 the code transmitter is provided with only one cam 4 and co-operatmg contact 5, although in actual practice any desired number of cams and contacts may be provided for periodically interrupting the liltornating current at difierent frequencies, the contacts being selectively connected with the track rails in accordance with traflic conditions in advance.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope 05f my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1 A code transmitter comprising a spring motor, an alternating current generator driven by said motor, and means also driven by sa'id motor for periodically interrupting the output current of said generator.

2. A code transmitter comprising a spring motor, means including apendulum for reg- 'ula'ting: the speed of said motor, an alternating current generator driven by'said motor, and "means also driven by said motor for periodically interrupting the output current of said generator.

3. A code transmitter comprising a'spring Imotor, an electric motor for Winding said spring motor, an alternating current generator driven by said spring motor, and means operatedby said spring motor for periodical- 1y interrupting t e output current of said s a wr- 4*. A code transmitter comprising a spring motor, an electric motor for winding said spring motor, means including a pendulum for regulating the speed of said spring motor, an alternating current generator driven by said spring motor, and means operated by said spring motor for periodically interrupting the output current of said generator.

5. A code transmitter comprising a spring motor, means including a pendulum for regulating the speed of said motor,'means for retaining said pendulum at one end of its stroke to stop the operation of said motor, an alternating current generator driven by said motor, and means also driven by said motor for periodically interrupting the output current of said generator. i

6. A code transmitter comprising a spring motor, an escapement device operatively connected with said motor, a pendulum co-operating with said escapement device to regulate the speed of said motor, means for retaining said pendulum at one end of its stroke to hold said motor at rest, an alternating current generator driven by said motor, and means also driven by said motor for periodically interrupting the output current of said generator.

7. In combination, a section of railway track, a spring motor, an alternating current generator operatively connected with said motor, a contact, means operated by said motor for periodically opening and closing said contact, an escapement device operatively connected With said motor, a pendulum cooperating with said escapement device to regulate the speed of said motor, a normally energized magnet for retaining said pendulum at one end of its stroke to hold said'motor at rest, and means responsive to a train entering said section for opening the circuit of said magnet to release said pendulum and connecting said generator with the rails of said section through said contact.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HERMAN G. BLOS SER. 

